The Division: Stories of the Dead
by RetroCoffin
Summary: Days after the Dark Zone fell and the wall was erected, Division agent Valentino "V" Marquez, sits in a holding room reviewing the events that led him to this place and what fate had brought him and his team.
1. Chapter 1

***Hey guys, I'm starting a short story based on one of my Division characters. Feel free to comment and leave some constructive criticism. I'll be posting more chapters as the days go on, expect 5 chapters out of this. Thank you for reading!***

Prologue:

New York City,

4 Days after the Darkzone fell,

1837,

V looked around the empty room, although not quite a cell, it was devoid of any comforts or luxuries. He was clearly being held as a prisoner, something he found entirely hilarious. His skin olive colored skin concealed by a set of tattered blue jeans, with numerous blood stains and a bandage on his right thigh. His grey and white checkered shirt now was a mix of brown and red, as dirt and blood was splattered in random patterns, although none of it seemed to be coming from a sustained wound.

It was a cold afternoon, although not entirely cold, he missed the permanent summer from the Caribbean where he used to call home many years past. As the light started to dim from the small window, his thoughts began to wander as to how he ultimately ended being held by his own people and if he would ever make it out of this room.

Chapter 1: Talon 5

New York City,

One day after the Dark Zone fell.

2232,

"Archangel, this is Talon 5, how copy?"

-"Loud and clear, go for Archangel"

"Got vehicles coming from the east, looks like 2…3 sets of headlights. We expecting friends tonight?" His voice had a slight Hispanic accent although not easily recognizable.

-"Nothing on the radio, display is still sketchy. Probably a patrol returning from the wall." There was an air of arrogance in Archangel's voice, as if dismissing them as nothing more than a nuisance.

"I don't like it… we should've heard something." Whispered the voice into his radio, crouching lower next to the broken doors of an electronics shop. Looking outside across the road lightly powdered in snow where a half dozen vehicles were frozen in place. The winds were beginning to pick up, slowly blurring the view of the incoming vehicles.

-"These guys aren't the most organized bunch since they got their asses kicked from the Dark Zone." The same arrogant tone in his voice carried clearly through the radio over the increasing winds.

"You mean we got our asses kicked in the dark zone." Said the agent, he felt his hand start to squeeze the pistol grip of his rifle slowly, anger starting to boil.

-"Shut it V… We've all heard enough of that. Shit happens, people die and decisions were made… it's the world we live in. Just keep an eye on these guys and it'll be fine. Archangel out."

"…Copy." Was all that V could reply, his words grunted between his clenched teeth. He felt his body temperature rise as the anger in him kept rising.

The Dark Zone, as they called it now, had been a massacre. A testament to the incompetence of their superiors. The supply points for the National Guard and food distribution centers had all been overrun by rioters, sick and desperate citizens of New York City. From their over watch point, they had witnessed the mob penetrate the defensive perimeter, and instead of responding to their cries, they were ordered to retreat or be sealed in with the rest of looters.

V had made his opinion of the order loud and clear, but they all still headed for the wall checkpoint. With gunshots and explosions at their back, he wondered what kind of horrors awaited those unlucky enough to survive the onslaught. It made him sick, the thought of leaving his brothers behind. He didn't know them, that's just the way the all operated, but knowing they were part of The Division, was enough to warrant an attempt at rescue. A Marine at heart, he would've never abandoned them.

"Hey V… If they were bad guys, they wouldn't be coming straight for us with their headlights on would they? Probably going home from the bar." Said V's partner, Hopper. A young African-American who served in the Army as a Ranger before separating and joining The Division. As far as V could tell, Hopper never truly took anything seriously, always laughing or smiling at their predicament over the past couple of days. He was crouched to V's right, looking out the window at their current objective.

Ever since exiting the Dark Zone, the team had been under heavy fire and were in dire need of resupply. Spotting the JTF check point was a godsend, they had been navigating the back alleys trying to avoid enemy contact as they approached, now only across the street from their target before V had spotted the incoming vehicles.

"I still don't like this…" Said V as he looked thru his ACOG, vehicles slowly coming into view…


	2. Chapter 2: Deceit

The Division: Stories of the Dead

Chapter 2: Deceit

1 day after the Dark Zone fell.

New York City,

2235

Something was wrong.

The vehicles were approaching quickly, their lead's horn going off as the column navigated through the sea of abandoned vehicles. JTF sentries alert to the incoming vehicles, the tension in the air rising with the speed of the winds which made it harder to get a clear view.

The checkpoint that Talon Squad had been approaching was undermanned, much like everyone else was. Resources and personnel were spread thin as the virus spread like wildfire through the city. In the case of a direct attack by looters, there wouldn't be much of a fight.

"Humvees incoming." Dave "Archangel" Stevens spoke into his mic, slightly muffled by the face mask he always wore partially because of the cold, mostly because it allowed him to detach himself from the situation at hand. He was behind the electronics store sign, buffeted by the cold wind as it picked up. "Fucking freezing tonight…" He whispered.

"I think that's the first time I've heard you cuss since this shit show started." Replied a female voice, almost mockingly. Agent Amy "Fox" Fujiyama was the team's medic and had shown her worth as a Corpsman assigned to a field medical support unit in Afghanistan before she was approached by a Division recruiter.

"At least it doesn't smell like shit." Looking through her SCAR's scope, she covered the alley where the team had approached from kneeling next to a metal dumpster. Her leather bomber jacket kept her warm as she alertly scanned the alley for anything suspicious. Hopper and V, who she had spent some time getting to know since the crisis started, rounded up the team's assault force.

"Here they come." Said V as he shifted into a kneeling shooting position. His body was concealed by the shadows and the JTF sentries had not taken notice of his presence in the electronics store. Hopper poked his rifle between two pieces of shattered glass, his flash hider barely noticeable as he scanned the area.

Everyone seemed to relax as the Humvees came to a hasty stop in the street in front of them, the view of the checkpoint blocked by the vehicles as troops began to pour out of them. The first two were riddled with bullet holes and scrapes. Their bumpers damaged from pushing and crashing into abandoned vehicles. The third one was barely able to run, as the engine stuttered and dark smoke leaked out of the exhaust.

"We have wounded!" Shouted one of the drivers as he stepped out of the middle vehicle, blood covering his right sleeve, rushing to open the passenger door.

"Poor bastards must've taken fire when they went by the wall…" Whispered Archangel from his elevated position, fierce fighting had been reported since the wall was erected and he figured these guys were probably caught off guard as they patrolled nearby.

Those who were healthy enough, ran out of their Humvees and began forming a perimeter turning to the street they had come from, watching for pursuers, scanning the road behind them. There seemed to be 3 wounded on the first three vehicles as the medics rushed to evaluate the wounded before unloading and possibly causing more damage.

The whole scene seemed like it was developing in slow motion and suddenly, the feeling of panic set on V's shoulders, his body tensed and he felt a knot on the back of his throat. "Anyone remember that attack in 2012 on Camp Bastion?"

"Yeah, they tried to kill Prince Harry didn't they?" Answered Hopper, confused as to why the question was being presented at a time like this. As he did, he remembered a detail: the insurgents had used US military uniforms to infiltrate the base. Realization settled in his mind as his eyes scanned the troops that just arrived. Most of soldiers had blood on their uniforms, although they did not seem to favor or protect the area and seek immediate medical attention, orange armband on their left sleeves and armed with non-issued weapons, one of them carrying an LVOA-C rifle too well equipped to be anything issued to the JTF, neck tattoos partially visible from some of the ones not wearing scarves.

"Shit… RIKERS!" Shouted Hopper at the top of his lungs before anyone could react, most JTF sentries froze in place as they heard the voice coming from what they thought was an empty shop. Almost simultaneously, the imposters raised their weapons at the nearest JTF guard and without hesitation fired their weapon.

As if a dormant volcano had furiously exploded in the quiet night, the street was filled with thundering noise coming from the choir of multi-caliber ammunition being spent in the cold December night.

"Cats out of the bag! Clear to engage!" Shouted Archangel into his mic, although V and Hopper were already returning fire as the Rikers in uniform turned their attention to the electronics store where the voice had come from. The JTF was nearly immediately wiped out with only a few survivors in the check point returning fire before finally being silenced.

V's field of view was limited as the Humvees protected most of the attackers. Their position was unfavorable for a fire fight as it provided little cover and wide open windows.

Rikers had won the fight as soon as they had slipped into the defensive perimeter, and now turned to whoever was inside the shop. Two of the Rikers seemed to be in command of their group, both had high end rifles who V figured belonged to slain Division agents at some point in the last two days. Their movements were coordinated and calculated, maintaining the suppressive fire on the shop as they advanced slowly towards their objective.

Archangel centered on a new target as he squeezed the trigger of his M1A SOCOM. The round sped out of the barrel and traveled thru the cold air as it zoned in on one of the Rikers who poked his head out of cover, his blood splattered the white snow before his body hit the ground.

"I count 11 targets, heavily armed. They're starting to flank you!" Archangel said into his mic, as V focused on the image presented by his ACOG and squeezing the trigger, his bolt locked to the rear.

"10 left! I'm out!" V shouted to Hopper as he let the rifle drop on the single point sling attached and deploying his handgun. Constant fighting and lack of supplies were one of the reasons the Dark Zone fell, and his team was suffering the effects of a days' worth of fighting without resupply. Hopper not much behind as he realized his mistake in revealing their position and getting into another firefight with barely any ammo.

"Fox, is the back clear? We need an exit route!" Said Archangel crouching lower as bullets ricocheted around him and striking the building, some of the Rikers had spotted him during his last barrage of fire.

-"Clear!"

As she fought her instinct to run into the battle, she forced herself to remain covering their escape route. Archangel dropped a flashbang near one of the Humvees where Rikers had huddled together, dropping two of them as they staggered backwards confused by the sudden flash and thunderous sound.

"Go!" Shouted Hopper to V, his voice barely audible as another wave of fire rained in on the electronics store, shattering whatever TV screens were left behind once looters realized food was more important.

V took off running from his window position, hurdled over the counter and turned to provide cover fire for Hopper who was struck by two rounds as he fired. One struck center mast, and the second on his left shoulder causing him to scream in pain. He recovered his breath and stepped up to the window to return fire, his left arm hanging by his side, blood making his glove moist and warm. He was struck two more times and staggering backwards and falling as he was struck again on his left thigh.

The register shattered as rounds penetrated it and forced V into cover, the Rikers almost at the door could now make out Hopper as they began their advance. Crouched, V turned the corner low and fired his handgun at the Riker standing near the door, catching him on his left cheek and dropping lifelessly as those around him took cover outside.

A second later, his display lit 3 circles as grenades dropped on the floor in the forward section of the shop. Before V could react he was suddenly pulled by the carry handle on the back of his plate carrier by Archangel who had ran down the stairs in the back of the shop and shoved him towards the back door.

The explosion rocked the front of the shop, taking Hopper along with it and tossing V and Archangel down on the snow. Breaking free of Archangel's grip and shoving him back, he turned to enter the shop once more, only to be restrained by Archangel again.

-"V, he's gone! And we will be too if we don't get our asses out of here. NOW! All three of us would be dead if we'd gone after him!"

"So you just abandon him?! It's the Dark Zone all over again uh!? We're all fucking expendable to you aren't we?!" The rage in V's eyes was about to explode when he heard Fox's voice.

"Sorry to interrupt boys, but we still have a problem here!" Fox said tossing her last deployable turret in the center of the shop which was now on fire. The right side where Hopper had been completely disfigured and blackened from the explosions. The turret immediately kicked into life as Rikers approached the entrance once more.

Without a word, Archangel marked a location for a safe house and took point, Fox following. V followed his team, disappearing into the night, silence taking hold once more after the turret was disabled.

All that could be heard, was the howl of the wind, and the footsteps in the snow…


End file.
